VOIDING AND ERECTILE FUNCTION AFTER DELAYED ONE-STAGE REPAIR OF POSTERIOR URETHRAL DISRUPTIONS IN 50 MEN WITH A FRACTURED PELVIS

We evaluated 50 men who suffered a total disruption of the posterior urethra in conjunction with a fractured pelvis. The urethral disruption was treated with immediate placement of a suprapubic cystostomy and delayed one-stage urethroplasty. Subsequently, 15 required at least one visual urethrotomy and three underwent one urethral dilatation. All 50 now have a patent urethra and 38 (76%) void normally and are continent. Five have an areflexic bladder secondary to the injury and intermittently catheterize themselves but are continent. Three patients have mild urge incontinence and three mild stress incontinence, not requiring treatment or protection. One patient with an open bladder neck has moderate stress incontinence which has responded to imipramine therapy. Impotence was present both preoperatively and postoperatively in 24 (48%) of the patients but by one year only 16 (32%) of them were still not having erections. Eighteen patients (36%) claim to have erections equal to their pre-injury quality. However, 16 (32%) of the patients, although potent and able to have intercourse, have less than optimal erections.